Preserve Paul Rudolph's Shoreline Apartments in Buffalo, NY

Mid Century Modern Buffalo strongly supports the preservation and adaptive use of all of Paul Rudolph's remaining Shoreline Apartments in Buffalo, NY. The complex, built in two phases between 1971-1974, is a master planned residential community which reads as a unified district, is significant as one of the largest NY State public housing projects built outside of NYC, marking a significant step toward public housing built to high design standards at low cost. It is the design of a master architect and is a unique example of the melding of garden city and federal greenbelt planning principles with the diagonal geometries and animated textured surfaces of the Brutalist architectural style, of which Paul Rudolph was one of its leading proponents.

The full complex and site were determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation (SHPO).

The site, with 32 of the original 34 buildings, remains as affordable housing. Its current owner Norstar is planning on demolishing 5 of the existing 32 buildings on the site and replacing them with Faux Victorian-style cement fiberboard and brick buildings. It is likely that the remaining buildings will continue to be demolished in future phases. The integrity of the site is being compromised by this phased erosion and demolitions on the site. While we understand that there is a Memorandum of Agreement in place between Norstar, SHPO, the City of Buffalo and the State Housing Agency, we, representing the public, request further clarity in its findings and a more transparent Section 106 process.

Mid Century Modern Buffalo supports working with the owner, State Historic Preservation Office and the City of Buffalo to determine a way to save and reuse these 5 buildings, which are a significant component of Rudolph’s complex.

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